BCSS - Forum

Here are a few Lachenalias in flower. They are not normally counted as succulents, but they are winter growing bulbs from the same parts of Southern Africa as our favourite plants, and they show a remarkable range of flower colours. L. viridiflora is pretty much finished now, but has been in flower for several months, L. aloides is a treat still to come.

I grow Lachenalis as well but have yet to have them flower. What conditions do you grow them in? I suspect they need more heat than I am giving them.

Hi Ralph
Great show of colour for February. Interesting to see your aloides is flowering after the others (mathewsii, bulbifera, orthopetala, mutabilis?). Mine are the other way round. Aloides is in full bloom with the others a little further behind.
Liz M, they do benefit from a little heat, mine are kept at a minimum of about 6C, and lots of light to avoid getting too tall and limp.
G

Very nice Ralph Is that L.bulbifera over by the succulents?

All that I have now is L.aloides (nearly in bloom too). I lost L.multifolia when I moved a couple of years ago, as in I physically misplaced it! Both were seed grown and they're very easy from seed. I used Scampton Succulents for my seed.

LizM - mine is grown cold but frost free. I find that too much heat with too little light leads to a leggy flower spike. I find that South African winter blooming bulbs benefit from a dry summer bake.

Anyone growing Ferraria here?

Hi Keith I have Ferraria, too. They are growing at the moment but have not flowered yet. It sounds as if they all need a summer bake, that is one thing I have not given them. Will try harder this summer. Thanks for the advice.

Liz M wrote:I grow Lachenalis as well but have yet to have them flower. What conditions do you grow them in? I suspect they need more heat than I am giving them.

They are in the unheated part of my greenhouse, although its adjacency to the heated part means they probably stay just above freezing. They get plenty of light, and plenty of water, and regular feeding with each watering (ericaceous miracle grow, same as the cacti).

Quite a lot of them are still too small to flower - I got a lot as bulbils, which need to grow on yet.

Mike wrote:Hi Ralph
Great show of colour for February. Interesting to see your aloides is flowering after the others (mathewsii, bulbifera, orthopetala, mutabilis?). Mine are the other way round. Aloides is in full bloom with the others a little further behind.
Liz M, they do benefit from a little heat, mine are kept at a minimum of about 6C, and lots of light to avoid getting too tall and limp.
G

M. viridiflora (2nd from left) was way before the others, flowering in early November. There's a variety of aloides which is even further behind than the one you can see at the front. I think some of it has to do with the size of the bulb (and perhaps size of pot / amount of water). The L. aloides seems to dry out rather quickly - perhaps to many bulbs in too small a pot, which could be why it is developing more slowly).
I'll double check the species names in the photo tomorrow, as I don't trust my dodgy memory to get them all right!

I also had a Massonia in flower in November, finished now. My only Albuca is going to flower late.

My Ferrarias are showing no signs of flowering, nor are the Sparaxis.

My Scadoxus hasn't read its instructions, and is growing throughout the winter, although both of my Haemanthus are semi-resting (still have leaves).

Left to right, the Lachenalias in flower / bud are
stayneri (yellow-green)
bulbifera (oreange with green tips)
viridflora (finished, was pale turquoise)
bowkeri (pale pink, almost over)
aloides (in bud, yellow/red/green)
mutabilis (purple, yellow tips)
There are plenty of others too small to flower this year, but I'm hoping for good things in future!

For those not familiar with the wonderful Lachenalia aloides, here are the form 'quadricolor' on the left, and the normal form on the right, brightening up our kitchen windowsill on a dull February day.
Lachenalias really make an excellent addition to a cactus and succulent collection, coming into growth, budding and flowering while most of our plants are dormant. Mike

Mike

I have to thank you again for that wonderful L. aloides which set me off on the Lachenalia trail in the first place!

Ralph